NEW LOOPHOLE FIREARM: Remington 870 TAC-14 12 Gauge

With the NRA Annual Meetings going on, all of us expect a slew of new firearms to be announced and debuted, but few people could have guessed that Remington had, for a lack of a better phrase, a “loophole firearm” up their sleeves. The announcement of a tactical Model 870 with a 14″ barrel is quite the surprise especially since it is so strikingly similar to the Mossberg 590 Shockwave which just hit the market months earlier. The new Remington 870 TAC-14 looks to make an impact within this niche category of firearms.

It is important to note that this is NOT an NFA item. This is by all means a normal firearm and can be purchased through your local dealer without any extra permits or requirements. As unique as it looks, it falls into a unique loophole in the ATF’s and NFA’s phrasing of firearms. So lucky for consumers, it is just a firearm.

One feature that should really spark interest in this shotgun is the Magpul M-LOK forend. With the abundance of M-LOK accessories on the market that is a huge plus for consumers. Also, the milled, solid-steel billet receiver is definitely hefty enough to take some abuse and eat up a bit of recoil in this small package.

The MSRP is currently set at $443.05 (odd number, right?) which is slightly below that of the Mossberg 590 Shockwave. Shipments of these firearms are currently set for early May.

The outdoors, fitness and anything related to firearms are my passions. I am a S&W Armorer, Glock Armorer, reloader and am coping with an addiction to classic S&W and Colt revolvers (by buying more revolvers). I’ve been a guest writer for Sierra Bullets and love long walks to the gun range.

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joshv06

Monkey see, monkey do..

Edeco

Uva uvam vivendo varia fit.*

*really adorable easter-egg from Lonesome Dove

Edeco

I read about this niche, I think the phrase PGO firearm is good.

I’ve no desire for one, think they’d feel horrible even by cruiser standards and hardly worth having a repeating action. I wonder if anything else weird can be done as a PGO.

iksnilol

A double barrel?

Edeco

Crossed my mind, but without the action, would need a few inches more barrel to be 26+ overall, so nigh pointless.

PK

They were, years ago. SxS 12ga, no real stock, a touch over 26.5″ overall. I owned one when they first came out.

The only real use (in the USA) for them was to make AOWs since they’d never had a stock.

gunsandrockets

How about one of these PGO shotguns made to use Saiga detachable magazines?

I’m actually partial to the .410.

Edeco

Yup, good idea. Good match for the PGO form factor since 410 is big for handguns (and basically needs nuissance rifling) yet small for shoulder guns.

They can’t. The specific letter of the law exempts these guns by the very definition. The law would have to be changed. The ATF approved the gun, and at least one state AG has ruled that it is perfectly legal.

Cymond

The law refers to AOWs as “concealable”, which ATF has interpreted to mean 26 inches.
However, there’s no specific measurement given in the law for AOWs, so ATF could hypothetically change their interpretation.

Twilight sparkle

This isn’t a loophole, it’s following the letter of the law perfectly fine.

It’s not an escape though, this is a perfectly legal and perfectly viable firearm. If the NFA was intended to regulate these firearms then it would have.

Kyle

Being a loophole doesn’t mean illegal dude. For something to be a loophole it has to be legal. It’s literally the definition I just gave you. You want to argue that take it up with Merriam Webster.

Twilight sparkle

The issue I had wasn’t with the legality it was with the intent. The NFA wasn’t written with the intention of regulating firearms like these, it was intended to regulate concealable long arms that gandsters at the time like Clyde barrow were using. Look back at the definition intent is a very important part of something being a loophole.

valorius

This arm clearly violates the purpose of banning sawed off shotguns. A law with which i do not agree.

Ike

The definition you cited involves evading the intent of the law. That’s my problem with the term. It indicates that the firearm follows the letter but not the spirit of the law. A “loophole” is also something that people generally think should be closed, whether in tax law of firearms regulation. Calling a lawful firearm a “loophole firearm” is both inaccurate–as it does not violate either the letter OR the spirit of the law–and counterproductive, as it invites lawmakers to “close” the loophole. Also, I’m not condoning your use of the Merriam-Webster dictionary–just trying to speak your language.

valorius

This clearly violates the intent of the NFA. C’mon man, let’s keep it real.

Ike

How? The express intent of the NFA is to regulate the overall length of firearms fired from the shoulder. If the intent was to regulate something else it should have been drafted differently.

valorius

The intent of the NFA was to limit shotguns to no shorter than 26″ with a barrel of no less than 18″. I mean i could care less that it’s a loophole, but it is.

therottybear

This is considered just a firearm, not a shotgun. If it was a shotgun it would be an NFA item, but it’s not, it’s a firearm. Hence, this is not a loophole. A loophole would be if someone Remington figured a way to make a shotgun have a 14″ barrel. They did not do that here. This is not a shotgun. It shoots the same rounds as a shotgun but just being able to shoot shotgun rounds does not make a gun a shotgun. If you think I’m wrong, then prove to me that the Judge, which shoots a .410 gauge bullet is a shotgun and not a revolver. If you can do that, then we’ll talk about how this is a loophole.

valorius

The intent of the NFA was clear. I’m not going to argue the point. I totally disagree with the NFA, but it is what it is.

frankspeak

that’s stretching it kind of thin!….

therottybear

Ike, you are right, this is not a loophole. A loophole would be if somehow Remington figured a way to make a shotgun have a 14″ barrel. They did not do that here. This is not a shotgun. It’s a firearm. For those that would argue it’s a shotgun because it shoots rounds that a shotgun shoots is ridiculous. The Judge is a revolver, not a shotgun, and it shoots shotgun rounds. Some people need to become more familiar with the intricacies of gun laws.

frankspeak

this looks a lot like something a lot of states may choose to regulate…

keazzy

Intent is followed by action. They can intend it all they want but they didn’t I act it.

valorius

All loopholes are things that are not covered in any given law.

Twilight sparkle

It’s covered under the NFAs regulation of overall length or barrel length, according to the law these firearms had to meet overall length which they do perfectly fine.

The Rambling Historian

Definitely a loophole dude. The NFA was designed to ban short shotguns and rifles, especially those made to be like handguns. My understanding is that they initially wanted to ban all concealable firearms, but there wasn’t enough support to go after pistols and revolvers. This is a short shotgun similar to many that have been banned, but it is one that evades the language of the law.

While I think it’s cute, would be fun to shoot, and would love to own one, I see the likely-hood of winning an argument with Texas Highway Patrol over this one and risking my CHL over an arguably dubious description of the NFA requirements. You may beat the charge, but you’re not going to beat the ride in the back of a police car and at least initial confiscation of this firearm. Besides, Texas penal code description of short barrel rifle is a little different than NFA…

Wow!

For it to be a loophole, that would mean the intent of the law was to ban a firearm, which is by itself against the supreme law. (which we know was the intent of these illegal laws).

This sounds like a liberal (classic) vs democrat argument that the libertarians like to propagate. We all know what is what is what, but you can’t ignore the political message behind words. A fence is not the same as a WALL. Black lives matter is not the same as all lives matter.

Bill Funk

IMO,l the problem with the use of “loophole” in this article is t hat the definition of the word is whatever someone wants it to be.
To the average hoplophobe, a gun that uses a “loophole” to exist is, by definition, bad. You see, a “loophole” in a law is something I don’t like. If I liked it, it would be a “feature” of the law, or, IOW, perfectly legal. (I use the “I” merely as an example; I actually understand the definition of “loophole.”)
I think a far better way of putting it would have been something like, “NEW FROM REMINGTON: The 870 TAC-14 12 Gauge”.
The fact that this gun is allowed isn’t because there’s a “loophole” in the law, but rather because the law, in the “wisdom” of whoever made the law (like any such law), simply isn’t able to define everything under the sun. Or, to put it another way, no law is perfect, but it’s what we have. If something isn’t explicitly covered, it’s legal (that’s the way our legal system is supposed to work). That’s not a “loophole,” any more than non-FFLs not needing a NICS check is a “loophole.” It’s the way the law is designed.

Yeah, and it wasn’t even “up their sleeve”, I got an email from Remington announcing it several weeks ago.

WANDERLUST srt

Dosent the shock wave hold one more round at the same size?

RealitiCzech

Yeah. With a +1 extension, it’s even with the end of the barrel and will be 5+1 just like the Mossberg.

WANDERLUST srt

I suppose the whole thing really comes down to where one wants the safety and if the aluminum receiver on the mossberg matters to them. I do think a stainless variation of either would make a cool boat gun.

RealitiCzech

And if you have a strong position on the Mossberg vs Remington debate, which some do.

JJ

I don’t think “loophole firearm” is a term we want to normalize…………just saying.

Maxpwr

So can I put an SB pistol brace on it and hold it up to my shoulder?

PK

Write a letter to the ATF and ask!

Don’t actually do that.

valorius

LMAO.

Maxpwr

We have some arguably pretty good gun laws in some parts of this country and then we have ones that do no pass the rational basis test like AOW, SBS, and SBR. Too bad we can’t repeal those laws.

Xtorin O’hern

Look up the Black Aces Tactical DT, fits into the same loophole as this gun but has an 8.5 inch barrel.

A used 870, $200 tax for the SBS paperwork, and you cut the barrel back and add the furniture you want. I can have whatever combination I want, and really I didn’t spend more than $400 until I added $100 worth of Magpul furniture! With the laminate stock, I hadn’t spent much at all, and certainly less than the pistol grip only firearm above.

Swarf

Ahh, you filed the paperwork. I guess that’s one way to do it. If you’re in to that kind of thing.

I guess I was looking for the… loophole answer.

PK

Well, it’s the only way for me to privately own MGs and silencers and grenade launchers at this point, so another tax and another piece of paperwork doesn’t really matter too much.

I figure once I got my CCW permit, that was that as far as being in any database. If that didn’t do it, my FFLs did.

Swarf

I was kidding about the loophole. That’s a fun looking gun.

Xtorin O’hern

the loophole answer to this can be found in the Black Aces Tactical DT

therottybear

Ding Ding Ding, you nailed what an actual loophole would be and that is if Remington figured out a way to make a Shotgun with a barrel less than 18″.

valorius

No mas paperwork for me amigo.

Kirk Newsted

Not a loophole. Its the way the law was written. Just like there is no gun show loophole.

8166PC1

Being able to purchase a firearm with what is called a private sale at a gun show requiring no background check seems like its defeating the whole idea of mandatory background checks.

Kirk Newsted

And? The law is the law. Not a loophole.

AJ187

Don’t feed the troll.

AlDeLarge

There was never an intention to require background checks for private sales, thus no loophole. The location of the private sale is irrelevant. The situations gungrabbers hold up for examples to scare the uninformed, usually involve dealing without a licence and/or knowingly selling a firearm to a prohibited person. Both are already federal felonies. Enforcing those laws would take care of the real but ridiculously overblown problem of prohibited persons getting guns at gunshows, but they don’t seem to care about that.

frankspeak

bad guys get their guns by theft or straw-purchasing…this gun show thing is totally overblown…..

Vhyrus

I would love it if people started calling these types of guns ‘loopholes’.

retfed

In parts of the Midwest, these guns were/are called “whippets,” because you
“whip it out.” It comes from the days when the coppers in a really bad suburb carried sawed-off, PGO 20-gauge pumps as sidearms, way back when.
I didn’t believe it either, but I ran into an old-time copper from there and he mentioned whippets in conversation. As Madeline Kahn said in “Young Frankenstein,” “It’s twue.”

TM

She said that in Blazing saddles

Jared Vynn

Lilly Von Schtupp.

retfed

You’re right. It’s been so long since I’ve seen those two movies (the best comedies ever made, by the way) that I get Madeline Kahn’s roles in them mixed up.
But I didn’t get the whippet stuff mixed up.

frankspeak

and she wasn’t talking about shotguns…just “barrel lengths”..LOL!

Swarf

Even if this didn’t look deeply uncomfortable to shoot, I’m not buying anything from Remington these days, especially not a pump action shotgun. Especially especially not a gimmicky one they are trying to slam out to make quick tactical dollars off of mall ninjas.

FOC Ewe

Finally a factory snake charmer/possum/raccoon broom with light loads. If it will work with Aguila Mini-Shells it would be super sexy.

The mall-ninjas will revel over a new “breaching tool” while the butthurt masses will evoke images of trench coats and Columbine. Both need to GTF over themselves and their petty, short sighted opinions.

And sorry Suarez, your PGO ambitions just got sunk for $300 less.

RealitiCzech

But if you don’t buy his variant, you won’t be Tier 1, bruh.

1LT Homer

Ive actually had the displeasure of talking to Gabe via email. Dude came across like a shyster in my one (and only) venture into Suarez Intl.

RealitiCzech

I find it interesting how he follows current trends and claims them as his own. In some cases he has had a record of buying in early to the concept – in others, not so much.
Then his habit of switching “best rifle EVAR” every year or so.

frankspeak

should be popular in alaska!

Paul Hurst

Not “loophole firearm”, it is a NFA/GCA compliant firearm.

Gun owners, are own worst enemy. At least you did not state we have no need for it.

8166PC1

Unless you need to do a drive by. It looks like something a criminal would make up in their garage.

iksnilol

Or backpacker… or somebody with little space in their car.

Personally, I’d like one for wolf hunting in my homeland. These are perfect for that.

AlDeLarge

It’s no smaller than a regular pistol grip shotgun with an 18″ barrel.

iksnilol

Much more shootable though. PGO versus the raptor grip, from what I know about my wrists, the raptor wins.

AlDeLarge

I never shot one with that kind of grip but the only way I can imagine it would be better is when literally shooting from the hip. That was the only way the regular grip ever hurt my wrist, and the least accurate.

iksnilol

I’m just thinking the recoil would go more to the arm and less to the wrist (assuming raptor grip and stretched out arm).

AlDeLarge

I think it would end up being more like what you see when you search YouTube for “one handed shotgun fail.” The grip of a regular stock is at the same kind of angle. I think you’d see similar grips on some of the high-recoil revolvers and Thompson-style pistols if it was an improvement.

Give the anti-gunners more ammunition in calling this gun what it isn’t……their favorite term “loophole”. Disappointed in TFB.

Phillip Cooper

Yes, very disappointed in TFB indeed!

Rimfire

For times when you can’t be innovative, just copy the competition, right Remington??
Oh and about that steel receiver, the 870 locks up in the receiver so it must be steel to hold up, while the more innovative shotguns lock up solidly with the use of a rotating bolt head into the barrel extension, thus allowing an aluminum receiver without any sacrifice in strength.

Bill

Actually, I saw Remingtons in this configuration back in the 80s.

retfed

I saw similar ones, too, the old Witness Protection 870. The U.S. Marshals carried them (hence the name). Jackass Leather (now Galco) made shoulder holsters for them. I always wanted one.
I’d like to have one of these, too, just for grins, but I don’t trust ATF not to double-cross us and declare this an NFA weapon. (We’ll have a Democratic President again someday.)

So a manufacture can just whip a new product up in a couple of months and bring it to market? I don’t think so. Just like the idiotic comments that Ruger brought out the Mk IV right after the SW Victory. Takes a long time to engineer, test, validate and set up the machinery for any new product.

RealitiCzech

So the announcement is right before the release? Good idea… if it runs better than some recent Remington products.

Porty1119

Kinda want, with a custom-built MOLLE scabbard to carry it on the back of a plate carrier for a non-NFA breaching weapon that can conceivably be carried in addition to a rifle.

Wow, it’s just like the Mossberg Shockwave… except the controls are now extremely difficult to use, and it will convenienly go ahead and start rusting away to nothing in the box before you even open it!

Hard pass on any firearm made by Remington as long as Freedom Group still owns them; Big Green is as dead to me with firearms as it is with tractors.

Jeff Smith

My problem with these “loophole” guns is something pointed out by Ian and Karl at In Range – an 870/500 with an 18″ barrel and pistol grip is already right about the 26″ minimum legal length for the “shotgun” category. So, to fit into the category of “firearm,” Remington and Mossberg are taking four inches off the barrel length and adding it to the grip – long story short, the weapon stays right about the same length with an 18″ barrel and pistol grip or a 14″ barrel and bird’s head grip.

I get giving a middle finger to the NFA and pointing out the stupidity of NFA laws, but I’d much rather have an 18″ barrel and have options as to what to do on the back end.

I have a pair of Pachmayr grips for the pair of Mossberg 500’s in the family. The grip and safety worked just fine, it was the heavy 2 3/4″ 00 Buck that didn’t mesh well with the grip!

Ragged Hole

I guess I would pick one of these up to for a SBS project put don’t see the practicality aside for range fun.

22winmag

Not loopholey.

Clickbaitey!

GnarlyNardHair

Can you please do a post on the double stack R1 1911s that Remington announced in the same email along with this thing, that literally nobody on the internet is covering? Mostly I want to know when I’ll be able to buy one and if they’re absurdly expensive or not.

adverse4

Yep, that bead sight is a big selling point.

Qoquaq En Transic

Bad PR move using the word “loophole”.

Just dumb.

RealitiCzech

But I loop from there!

Don Ward

The perfect weapon in order to prove who is really the king of the trailer park.

valorius

For those times when you need to reach for an impractical novelty to defend your life.

Marcus D.

I think I could go my whole life NOT shooting one of these, much less owning one.

spencer60

‘Loophole’ firearm? Really?

John Richardson

I would check the laws of my home state before purchasing one of these. A Remington rep told me it was legal in all 50 states but I have my doubts. NC law has a provision that classifies any weapon with a bore greater than 1/2 inch as a weapon of mass destruction. They exclude shotguns. However, this isn’t a shotgun or you’d need a tax stamp. I have an email into their compliance mgr but haven’t heard back.

JSmath

>”Loophole” that isn’t a loophole

>enjoys crossfit

Welp, the jokes write themselves.

JanitorWillie

Loophole…not a loophole….letter ov the law vs intent of the law….expect a revised ruling from BATFE classifying this as an NFA item. If not during this administration, then in another more demokrat one.

2ThinkN_Do2

Just don’t swap out the grip for a true pistol grip, it will be too short and now be in a different class. I like the fore-end on the Moss better, but in the end it doesn’t matter; as I’ll never buy of them unless they abolish the SBR, SBS and AOW tax stamps. Why, because I would want to put a pistol grip on this if I owned it.

My 20 year old mossberg 18′ pump with a pistol grip which meets the other legal category does the exact same stuff this controversial piece does…. does 4 inches mater in a home intrusion gun fight… Don’t think so… Get back to basics guys…